Best Ever Air Fryer Chicken Kebab Recipe

If there is one recipe that I have made countless times in my air fryer since the time I have got this beast home, then that has to be this air fryer chicken kebab all thanks to its mind-blowing taste without any fuss!

After losing a significant amount of weight (about 33 Kgs / 72 Pounds) since the time I have started living healthy, I have been asked by many of my friends and family what I eat to lose weight!

And even more importantly how do I manage to consistently eat healthy on a day to day basis! Let’s talk about it for a minute before getting into my gorgeous air fryer chicken kebab recipe! Shall we?

Well, I understand that the struggle is real! Especially when the temptations are just a click away, it is sometimes too easy to give in after a hectic day at work!

So what’s the solution? The easy answer is – “homemade food”! I am sure you have heard this answer a zillion times!

What we really want to understand is how to make healthy & balanced meals at home day after day which will also taste good? I know there is no easy answer to this!

But I can tell you how I tried to solve it for myself. My simple mantra is to take help of technology as much as feasible so that you can automate certain steps of the daily cooking tasks and whip up lip-smacking & healthy lunches & dinners!

If you can save up to buy maybe a couple of cooking gadgets, you can easily make fancy restaurant style food at home which will not only look fantastic but also will taste mind-blowing!

For me, an air fryer is one such gadget which proved to be a savior within no time! I have already shared my experience & review of air fryer cooking in a previous post which you can check out here!

To add to my air fryer recipe repertoire, today I have another indispensable recipe which can be part of your healthy meals at least thrice a week if you are a chicken lover!

My delicious air fryer chicken kebab is of course high in protein, but due to minimal use of oil, these kebabs do not carry a lot of fat. With a side of fresh salad, this is the best lunch you were looking for!

What is air fryer chicken kebab?

I know I don’t have to explicitly explain what air fryer chicken kebab is because it’s obviously self explanatory! But what I can tell you is that this air fryer chicken kebab is one of my go-to dishes on weekdays thanks to its simplicity.

I literally make this air fryer chicken kebab on repeat and I am sure you will too once you see how easy & simple it is to make!

I sometimes keep a few pieces marinated for a couple of days; then just put them inside the air fryer to air fry and my dinner is ready in 25 minutes tops!

Then simply complete the meal with a side of fresh & crunchy salad and you have the best possible dinner which is not only healthy but also immensely satisfying!

Ingredients for air fryer chicken kebab

Chicken Drumsticks: We love chicken kebab especially when made with drumsticks and it’s somewhat easy not to overcook this portion of the chicken.

I use skinless chicken drumsticks these days for obvious reasons you know i.e. to cut down the unnecessary fat; plus any traditional Indian chicken kebab is made with a skinless portion of the bird.

But you can surely feel free to use skin-on drumsticks without any alteration of this recipe and it will still produce equally delightful results!

Hung curd: Now this is a must! If you have ever used hung curd to make a chicken kebab marinade you will understand how creamy this stuff is and it has no comparison with regular curd.

Just transfer your regular curd or yogurt to a cheesecloth spread over a large bowl. Then take all 4 ends of the cheesecloth and tie up the curd in it.

Now just press this bundle of curd using both palms, but gently, to squeeze out all the water from the curd. It would take a few presses to squeeze out as much water as possible.

That’s all! You have your creamy hung curd ready to use.

Mustard oil: Along with the curd, you will need a small amount of fat to ensure your air fryer chicken kebab turns out juicy & succulent which is why I added a tad bit of mustard oil for that pungent kick!

Aromatics: I am sure you already know that no good chicken kebab can be made without a generous amount of the typical aromatics i.e. our good old ginger and garlic.

You can use readymade ginger garlic paste or you can use minced garlic and freshly made homemade ginger paste.

Powdered spices: You don’t need any special spice mix to make my delicious air fryer chicken kebab; just the staple powdered spices that you already have in your kitchen will make these wonderful kebabs.

Kashmiri chilli powder, coriander powder and cumin powder that’s all you need to add to the yogurt marinade to make this lip-smacking delicacy!

Seasoning: Season your air fryer chicken kebab with salt to taste and also freshly crushed black pepper. Pepper adds something extra to these kebabs, so you can use it generously if you are okay with the heat.

Chat masala: Final touch to this air fryer chicken kebab is the sprinkling of chat masala that adds a solid kick to your taste buds as soon as you take your very first bite!

How to make air fryer chicken kebab?

Step 1: Wash and pat dry the chicken drumsticks. Then make a cut at the thickest part of each drumstick. Set them aside while you prepare the marinade.

Step 2: To prepare the chicken kebab marinade, in a large bowl, add hung curd, mustard oil, minced garlic, ginger paste, Kashmiri red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and salt & black pepper to taste.

Step 3: Give everything a very good mix to make a homogenous mixture. Take time at this stage to ensure all powdered spices are evenly mixed and there is no lump.

Step 4: Drop the chicken drumsticks into this prepared marinade and coat them thoroughly so that they are thickly covered with the yogurt mixture on all sides.

Step 5: Once the chicken drumsticks are nicely coated, leave them marinated for at least 30 minutes. If you can preplan, then you can keep the chicken marinated even a night before!

Step 6: When you are ready to air fry your chicken kebab, start preheating your air fryer at 200 C / 400 F and set the timer for 25 minutes.

Step 7: After the air fryer is preheated, pull the basket out and brush or spray some oil at the bottom of the basket to ensure the chicken kebabs do not stick.

Step 8: Then place the marinated chicken drumsticks inside the basket in a single layer; do ensure the drumsticks are not on top of one another.

Step 9: Start air frying your chicken kebabs and after about 15 minutes flip them over. Then continue air frying them for the remaining time.

Step 10: Your air fryer chicken kebab will be ready in 25 minutes with nicely charred smokiness all around!

Pro tip: You can check the doneness by cutting the thickest part of the chicken leg with the edge of a knife; if there is no trace of pink and juices run clear, your chicken kebab is perfectly cooked and ready to devour!

Step 11: Take them out and serve with a sprinkling of chat masala on top and onion slices & lemon wedges on the side. Enjoy!

More delicious air fryer recipe from Flavor Quotient

Chicken Kebab in Air Fryer | Air Fryer Chicken Kebab Recipe

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

25 mins

Total time

35 mins

Author: Priyanka

Recipe type: Main

Cuisine: Indian

Serves: 2-3 Servings

Ingredients

Chicken Drumsticks - 5 to 6, skinless
Hung curd - 1 cup
Mustard oil - 2 to 3 tbsp
Garlic - 10 to 12 cloves, minced
Ginger paste - 2 tbsp
Kashmiri chilli powder - 2 tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Salt & black pepper to taste
Chat masala to sprinkle on top

Instructions

Wash and pat dry the chicken drumsticks. Then make a cut at the thickest part of each drumstick. Set them aside while you prepare the marinade.
To prepare the chicken kebab marinade, in a large bowl, add hung curd, mustard oil, minced garlic, ginger paste, Kashmiri red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and salt & black pepper to taste.
Give everything a very good mix to make a homogenous mixture. Take time at this stage to ensure all powdered spices are evenly mixed and there is no lump.
Drop the chicken drumsticks into this prepared marinade and coat them thoroughly so that they are thickly covered with the yogurt mixture on all sides.
Once the chicken drumsticks are nicely coated, leave them marinated for at least 30 minutes. If you can preplan, then you can keep the chicken marinated even a night before!
When you are ready to air fry your chicken kebab, start preheating your air fryer at 200 C / 400 F and set the timer for 25 minutes.
After the air fryer is preheated, pull the basket out and brush or spray some oil at the bottom of the basket to ensure the chicken kebabs do not stick.
Then place the marinated chicken drumsticks inside the basket in a single layer; do ensure the drumsticks are not on top of one another.
Start air frying your chicken kebabs and after about 15 minutes flip them over. Then continue air frying them for the remaining time.
Your air fryer chicken kebab will be ready in 25 minutes with nicely charred smokiness all around!*
Take them out and serve with a sprinkling of chat masala on top and onion slices & lemon wedges on the side. Enjoy!

Notes

*Pro tip: You can check the doneness by cutting the thickest part of the chicken leg with the edge of a knife; if there is no trace of pink and juices run clear, your chicken kebab is perfectly cooked and ready to devour!